International Travel With South African Minors

General Notes:

1. All documents must be either original or copies certified as a true copy of the original by a commissioner of oaths or equivalent commissioning authority, should commissioners of oath not be a practice in the country concerned.

2. The Affidavit must be dated within 4 months of the first arrival or departure travel date. The same affidavit will still be valid for the departure or return in relation to the same journey regardless of the period of the journey. The “first travel” date is the date of first presentation for travel at the Port Of Entry (POE) for a journey that will be completed when the traveller returns or departs to or from the Republic. Minors who started their journey before 1 June 2015 would not be required to produce the documents if the return leg thereof takes place after 1 June 2015. Parental Consent Affidavit

3. Different combinations of the travel cases could occur, e.g. when dealing with a minor accompanied by a person who is not his or her biological child, the requirements relating to divorced or deceased parents must also be taken into account, where applicable. Minors accompanying school tours must also be dealt with in terms of this category of travellers.

4. The following types of Court Orders may be granted:

• Court order granting full parental responsibilities and rights (previously called “sole custody”) or legal guardianship in respect of the minor: In this instance, the consent of the other parent is not required;
• Court order in which both parents are granted responsibilities and rights in respect of the minor: The consent of the other parents is required; and
• Court orders that are silent on the parental responsibilities and rights: The consent of the other parent is required.

5. Visas
Where a child applies for a visa inside South Africa or at a South African embassy abroad it shall be standard practise for all supporting documents to be submitted prior to the visa being issued.

Should authentic visas be produced by the minor but any other supporting documents be unavailable, it may be assumed that all supporting documents have been provided.

6. Exceptions
Diplomatic/ consular representatives accredited in South Africa travelling with his or her children: – An accreditation card issued by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) containing the particulars of the children may be accepted in lieu of the supporting documents. Where such a child is travelling unaccompanied or with the other parent who is not a diplomat the same card may be produced;

An Unabridged Birth Certificate should not be required in the case of countries that endorse the particulars of parents in children’s passports, e.g. India;

Minors accompanying VIPs were Protocol Officer is present at Port Of Entry. (No supporting documents will be required in these cases);

No supporting documents will be required by persons in direct transit at an International Airport.